Prevention of West Nile Virus and Other Mosquito-Transmitted Illnesses - Fight the Bite! Day and Night

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Prevention of West Nile Virus and Other Mosquito-Transmitted Illnesses - Fight the Bite! Day and Night

To:The University of Arizona Community

From:

Harry McDermott, Executive Director, Campus Health Services

Steve Holland, Assistant Vice President for Risk Management Services

Subject:Prevention of West Nile Virus and Other Mosquito-Transmitted Illnesses - Fight the Bite! Day and Night

Date:October 19, 2016

Fall may be here but the importance of preventing West Nile Virus and other mosquito-transmitted illnesses (e.g. Dengue Fever, Chikungunya and Zika) continues. This is a reminder to heed the tips offered by the Pima County Health Department through its Fight the Bite! Day and Night campaign. For more info, see http://webcms.pima.gov/cms/one.aspx?portalId=169&pageId=19544.

West Nile Virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne virus endemic in Arizona mosquitoes since 2003, with the mosquito season peaking from May through October. In Arizona during 2015, there were 103 confirmed or probable human WNV cases and seven fatalities reported. Pima County had 29 confirmed or probable cases. There have been no locally acquired cases of Chikungunya or Zika infections in Pima County or Arizona. All cases of these two diseases reported in Arizona have been in persons who acquired the infections outside of Arizona.

Facilities Management prevents mosquito breeding on campus by treating outdoor areas of standing water with a safe mosquito larvicide. We ask the campus community to help fight the bite by reporting standing water and mosquito concerns to your building manager or to Facilities Management at 520-621-3000.